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The
triumph of good over evil also marks the triumph of our soul's goodness over
that of the egoistic mind. As a spiritual seeker, I believe that Ravan is not
evil the way we like to portray him to be. His qualities such as his knowledge,
his intelligence, sharp thinking and his mastery over anything he chose to
undertake have not been appreciated but his ‘misdeeds’ have been highlighted
over and over again. Every character in the Ramayana has a well defined role and message to give to the world. We tend to see them all as the background characters but in fact, if you read the Ramayana carefully, you will realize how beautifully etched out each character is. Needless to mention, Ravana's character deserves more analysis and a deeper study. All I am saying is that Ravan is not evil the way we like to believe he is, period. To
me, Ravan symbolizes all that is perfect in us till we allow one powerful
desire to blind us to what is ethically right. Ravan was a great spiritual
seeker …

In spirituality, motive is everything. Why you said what you did, why you acted the way you did and why you allowed your mind to think in a particular way. Yes, your motive is the most important thing, that one parameter on which you can judge yourself and be judged when the time is ripe.

(Image: Unsplash)

When you do an act of kindness, are you propelled by a need to be admired and respected? Then it's best not to do it at all.

If you are doing good because it makes you feel your heart expand from within, embracing all of humanity, as part of your own Divine consciousness, you are at the right place.

Instead of judging others, concentrate on understanding and filtering your motive for every word and action that you undertake. Live in the moment but be aware of every breath you inhale and exhale. Your awareness of your own self is the essence of true spirituality. What are you doing each and every thing for? What is the real motive? You've got to develop the habit of understanding…

There is very little that I know about Benazir Bhutto
of Pakistan
except for the obvious fact that the media loved to showcase her glossy pictures, put the political spotlight on her and the intellectuals as well as the masses enjoyed speculating about her. While reading William Dalrymple’s book titled The Age of Kali: Indian Travels &
Encounters, the last chapter explores a fascinating account on Benazir Bhutto
who was Prime Minister of Pakistan at the time the author had interviewed her. Pakistan’s
Benazir Bhutto in Politics: Did we know her at all? William Dalrymple’s account of meeting Benazir Bhutto
caught my interest and l thought I’d write about it here. For example, he talks
about how Benazir had English governesses during her childhood due to which she
is fluent in English but struggles to speak Urdu and Sindhi, something she was
criticized for in Pakistan.
Dalrymple’s narrative
about Benazir Bhutto suggests that she had two sides to her personality that
confused people ar…

I landed up unexpectedly at my home in Kochi and my mother's first reaction on seeing me arrive at her doorstep was one of fear and worry. I knew instantly what she was worrying about. "Has something gone wrong that my daughter has come home alone unannounced?" is every mom's worst nightmare.

The first thing I did was to hug my mom and reassure her, "I wanted to be there to celebrate your birthday. Everything's fine. Surprise!"

On Mom's birthday, my brother Manoj got this beautiful cake for her. We placed it in front of our pooja room, we said our prayers and then my mom cut the cake. Her face had lit up with smiles. That's all I wanted to see.

While I was in Pune, I heard a lot about the mango barfi at Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale. I was told that it is a must-buy item to take back from Pune. I walked to the place, stopping to ask directions on the way to make sure I am on the right path and observing the young, vibrant crowd of college going boys and girls talking animatedly.

So now you see that I was directed to this place. Everyone seemed to know where it was. I stepped in and there was a long queue of customers in the mango barfi counter. I bought two packets weighing half a kilo each.

Back home, my husband and my son really liked mango barfi. My son totally enjoyed it and knowing how food fussy he is, I was so glad to see his happiness. Perhaps the average Indian's love for food and sweet things comes from a longing to share happiness with loved ones.

What's the special food item in your city that you would recommend to those who are visiting your city for the first time?

Last week, I had an unexpected two day trip to Pune. This was my first visit to Pune and with God's grace, a very memorable one. I reached very late at night and for me, it was a learning experience.

First Time Pune Visit at almost Midnight
Having grown up in a traditional family, the truth is that I haven't ventured out on my own like that in all these years. After marriage, I go to see places with my family and I don't go out on solo adventures of my own. I don't enjoy being without my family. That's simply not my way of enjoying life. However, this trip was work related and therefore, a necessity than a luxury and I was determined to learn something from the whole experience.

How safe are Indian women who travel alone?
You know, I remember a friend from the US telling me, "I will not accept India is a developed country unless the women can travel to any part of India with a feeling of safety at any time of the day or night."